AN
i had to pop a little authors note here because i know a few people might be a little worried that it is a little too harsh for our couple. I did state that this story was angsty, i hated how they ended the Jess/Rory relationship in S6. I felt like it was Jess's word and faith in Rory that sped her back on the right track. And if Milo agreed we would have had the ending we wanted. I also want to know from other authors if anyone would be interested in a Lit summer Ficathon??
Luke waited for Jess to arrive, sitting against the back of the chair his hand nursing a cold beer. Looking up he noticed Jess standing in the door way for a moment, before he walked to the refrigerator and grabbing a beer.
Luke kept silent, his fingers playing with the label of the bottle. Keeping his head lowered he causally glanced at his nephew.
"What happened?"
Nothing." Jess grumbled.
"Well I think something did happen, or else Lorelai wouldn't have called me to say Hurricane Jess came in and conquered." Jess finally looked up at his Uncle confused."Lorelai called me to say she found Rory outside her house."
"its complicated."
"Well uncomplicate it Jess, I know you and I know Rory, you're not doing her any favors." Jess placed his bottle on the table with a thud
"I can't alright. I don't know why I came here."
"Well I like to think you came back to see your Uncle get married." Luke smiled trying to lighten the suddenly dark conversation.
"You know I did Luke, you know after everything it's always me. Has anyone ever thought that it's Rory's fault." Jess picked up the bottle and tipped it back as he swallowed the beer."She was the one that ruined everything; she told me she loved someone else. And I accepted it, its fine."
Luke sighed and watched as Jess went back to grab another bottle, there was too many unresolved feelings when it came to both of them. Pushing his chair back he patted Jess on the shoulder leaving him in the apartment.
Rory walked out of her bedroom and into the living room, standing in the archway she listened to her mother who was sat on the couch the phone against her ear.
"He's really upset her, I knew this would happen. When I see him I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."
"You won't say anything mom, promise me?" Lorelai looked up to see Rory staring at her, giving her excuses she put down the phone and patted the seat next to her.
"Rory I know you think you should protect Jess, but you really should see yourself."
"No mom, it was me it was all me. I went to see him; I stayed when everyone else had left. I let him kiss me and then I told him I loved someone else." Rory rubbed her face clearly agitated.
"It wasn't your fault hun; you just got your wire crossed that's all."
"No I didn't, I knew what I was going for. I was going to cheat on Logan with Jess, but the thing is I never stopped loving Jess and now it's too late."
"If this is what you want, it's never too late. Look at me and Luke." Rory smiled as her mother's eyes shone at the mention of her soon to be husband.
"This is different, I really hurt Jess and now he wants nothing more to do with me." Rory closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the couch.
Rory decided to go for a walk the next morning to try and clear her head, walking past the town square she stopped for a moment outside Luke's debating whether to enter. Peering in through the window she watched as Jess cleared tables after the morning rush, there was a time when all she wanted was to grow up and move out in the world. But looking through the window, she wanted to be that teenager again, that sneaked glances at the new boy in town while she ate breakfast with her boyfriend.
Jess glanced aware that someone was watching him, their eyes locked for a moment and Rory first to make the move looked away. Turning on her heel she strode down the street, a book held tightly in her arm. She walked for seemed like miles when in truth it wasn't far, she found herself at the lake where she first kissed Jess. Sitting on the bank of the river she opened her book and set her take away cup of coffee beside her.
She didn't realize how long she had sat there until she closed the book and watched the sun indicating it was late afternoon, grabbing her coffee she cringed as she swallowed the cold coffee. She lifted her head and stared at the tree further down the bank of the river, grabbing her book she pushed herself from the ground and walked towards the old tree. Standing in clear view she glanced at the initials carved in the bark and re-tracing the deep grazes of the wood, tears falling underneath her chin.
Lorelai rushed into the diner and glanced around, Jess stood by the end of the counter re-filling Kirk's sixth cup of coffee.
"Where's Luke?" Jess looked up and frowned.
"He's in the storeroom, stocking up." Jess pointed behind him with his thumb and turned to place the pot of coffee back on the burner.
Lorelai rushed from inside the diner to the store room, Luke looked up from placing the cans on the shelf to see his fiancée standing in the doorway.
"Have you seen Rory today?"
"No I haven't why?"
"Well she was supposed to meet my mom this morning, and then I get a call to say she didn't turn up. Which isn't like Rory, and with everything else that's happening I'm finally having a breakdown." Luke dropped the box on the floor and walked towards Lorelai and placed his arm around her shoulders.
"She'll be fine, this is Rory. You know she's probably got her head in her book and forgot about the time." Lorelai nodded and allowed herself to be steered back into the diner, glancing out of the window she noticed Rory crossing the square, kissing Luke quickly she left in a rush.
"Rory." Lorelai caught up to her as she turned around a book still held in her grasp.
"Where have you been? Your grandma called frantic five times I might add." Rory slapped her forehead with her hand.
"Shoot, I forgot."
"I thought maybe you had, although I did panic a little bit. Listen you want to go get a coffee?" Rory smiled and then frowned.
"Sure, but can we go somewhere else than Luke's?" Lorelai nodded and linked arms with her daughter taking her towards Weston's.
"So tell me again why the rehearsal dinner is at grandmas?" Rory questioned as she slipped on her shoe.
"Because she insisted, and I kind of felt sorry for her. What? Don't look at me like that." Lorelai scolded picking up her purse, the doorbell rang and she made a dash for the door and looking behind Luke's shoulder.
"Luke? Where's the truck?" Lorelai stood back and folded her arms.
"You said we were taking the jeep."
"Uh no I didn't."Lorelai looked at Jess who was standing off to the side, and turned back to Rory. "The jeep is only a two seater."
"its fine I'll take my car." Rory grabbed her purse and fished for her keys.
Lorelai and Luke looked at each other as Rory brushed past them and stepped off the porch, Luke stood in between Jess and Lorelai and shrugged his shoulders.
"Jess, can you go with Rory?"
"Whatever." he mumbled.
Rory sat in the driver's seat and buckled her seat belt, waiting impatiently for Jess to climb in. Starting the car she backed out of the driveway a little too quickly, and Jess had to brace himself against the dashboard. Concentrating on the road in front of her ignored Jess sighing loudly, allowing him to moodily look out of the window. After ten long minutes of silence, Rory switched on the radio, her hand tapping against the steering wheel. Thirty minute drive to Hartford felt like hours, and Rory finally let a
breath escape her as she parked in the large driveway of her grandparent's. Turning off the ignition she unbuckled her seat belt and turned in her seat.
"Whatever is between us, this is my mom and Luke's night." Rory pointed out.
"There is nothing between us." Jess replied sullenly.
"Glad you were able to point that out." Rory muttered and climbed out of the car, slamming the door causing the car to shake slightly with Jess still inside.
The maid opened the door and smiled; Rory removed her coat and handed it to her. Jess glanced quickly at what she was wearing, he had never seen anything that cut low and shaped her body that made him want to forget everything that transpired between them. Rory left Jess at the door and entered through the foyer and into the sitting room; she passed a waiter and grabbed the glass of champagne. This wasn't a rehearsal dinner it was one of her grandmother's large parties, spotting her mother and Luke she carefully moved in between the people.
"Rory, you look lovely this evening. Oh you brought someone." Emily gestured behind her to Jess standing just behind her shoulder.
"This is Jess, Luke's nephew. There was no room in mom's car. Excuse me."Rory tipped the champagne glass back and swallowed the contents, leaving Jess standing Emily.
Rory climbed the large staircase and quickly entered her old bedroom, closing the door behind her she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Well that was rude of Rory." Emily frowned.
"Rory hasn't been herself lately." Lorelai apologized.
"You seem very familiar, have we met before?" Emily looked closely at Jess.
"Six years ago if I remember, I came to dinner." Jess sipped on the champagne and grimaced as the tart flavor stung the back of his throat.
"You're that boy with the black eye, the one that broke her heart and ditched town."
"Mom." Lorelai warned.
"What? It's not he wasn't aware of how he created that mess."
"Well thank you, for this lovely trip straight down memory lane." Jess sarcastically saluted and turned on his heel and opened the door leading to the pool.
